The Long Road Home
by edwardmorte3
Summary: A late night intruder in the Nara forest sets off a chain of events in Konoha. Shikamaru must struggle with his decision and find guidance in the most unlikely of places.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue:**

If there was one thing Shikamaru Nara could not stand, it was something interupting his hard earned (by his opinion anyway) sleep. Sleep was to Shikamaru as water was to Suna, and he treasured every second of it, especially since an outside source, such as his nagging mother or irate, loudmouthed teammate, always seemed to enjoy waking him. So he held dearly to his precious past time for as long as he possibly could, and anything that forced him to let go of it was met with his usual, lazy aggrivated expression. But this time was different.

The Nara forest was just along the boundaries of Konaha, and was home only to the Nara Clan. Their blood was infused with the life force of those sacred grounds, and the forest bowed to their whim. It spoke to them, it protected them, and when an intruder entered, it called out to them, warning every fiber of their being that an enemy was near. If you were not of Nara blood, entering their forest without a Nara's permission was a death sentance. If the forest itself couldn't kill you, the Nara men and women it screamed for would hunt you down and finish you off. This bond was not ninjutsu or a kekkai genkai. So far none could explain it. But it was there and tonight it was crying out.

Shikamaru heard the call as soon as it went out. It jarred him from his sleep and immediately sent him into a state of alarm. If he had been younger, he would have gathered with the children and women who had married into the family and wait for the danger to pass. But he considered himself a man now. He was a fifteen year old chunin, and had already taken the life of an Akatsuki member. He had earned his manhood in blood, and it was as a man he responded. Quickly he jumped to his feet, attatched his tool pouch to his pajama pants without even thinking to put a shirt on, and lept out his window towards the land that was his family's namesake. He did not see his father around, but mostlikely Shikaku had beaten him out of the house and was already scouring the forest for the intruder. Without a second's hesitation he lept into the frey.

"Where are you hiding?" He asked himself as he searched, leaping nimbly from tree to tree. With each footstep he felt his homeland resonate within him, desperately trying to lead him to the perpatrator. He was the heir to the Nara Clan, as his father was the Clan Leader, and the blood was thickest in their veins. If he listened, he would find.

A could chill ran through him when he thought of Hidan, the bastard that had killed his sensai, and the threat the silver haired man had spat as the hole closed in on him. Could he have found a way out of his grave. No, it was impossible. And yet the fear of seeing that man again was overwhelming.

He was so lost in thought that he nearly missed him. Yet out of the corner of his eye he caught a misplaced shadow on the forest floor. He stopped, heart pounding in his chest, as he examined it from the safety of the trees. It was a body, face down on the ground. At that height, it was all he could see. He would have to get closer. Steeling his nerves, he broke the tension in his body with a simple sigh and dropped to the ground.

The first thing Shikamaru noticed was the black hair splayed over the face, shoulders, and back of a lean built man and he couldn't stop a breath of relief. The second thing he noticed was the pool of blood on the forest floor spreading from under the man. Whoever he was, he was hurt. Had other Naras gotten to him first? No, they wouldn't have killed him if it was avoidable, and if they had killed him they wouldn't have left him in the middle of their forest. They would have brought his body to Shikaku to have him decide what to do with it. He knelt to examine the man, cringing as blood soaked through the knees of his pants, and reached for a pale wrist to check for a pulse. The man's skin was the color of death but his heart was still beating, however faintly. He would take the man to his father immediately.

Sending a flare up into the night air, Shikamaru signaled to his kinsmen that the intruder was found, dealt with, and it was time to meet in the safe grounds. With a deep breath he rolled the man over to pick him up and froze at the sight he was met with. Skin as pale as death, night black hair... the signs had all been there, but it wasn't until he was met with the purple slants over closed eyelids that he recognized the man for who he was. Orochimaru. Thoughts flew through his head faster than he could filter them. Why was this man in his forest? Were more Sound Ninja around? Was this an ambush? No, Orochimaru had been defeated in combat, that was obvious. Were other enemies near? No. The forest had stopped its screams once he'd arrived. So why was the snake Sannin here? He had to know the secret of the Nara forest. He had lived in Konoha for forty years. It was obvious he'd been beaten, but had the battle been near Konoha limits? Could he have run to the forest for protection from someone, hoping to be rescued? Who could his pursuer have been that would know better than to follow him?

The Nara youth wasted no more time wondering what had happened. Whatever the cause, Orochimaru was now bleeding profusely and time was not on his side. If he didn't get the rogue ninja to his father quickly the decision would be made for him, and then the Sannin's blood would be on his hands. Orochimaru was by no means a good man, but an unecessary death was not something Shikamaru wanted on his concious. Though it was difficult, he managed to gather the older man in his arms and take to the trees once more, headed for the safe grounds. The slick blood smeared on his bare chest and he shuddered, but he continued at a quick pace, doing his best to ignore it. He had to hurry.

By the time he arrived, many of the Nara men were beginning to get restless, and his father had an impatient look on his face as well, but all of that changed when they noticed him land in the meeting spot. His father rushed over, concern etched in his features as he wondered how much of the flowing blood belonged to his son. Other members of the clan, those who had worked in the medic field, also moved forward, ready to heal their brother. But when a curtain of black hair fell away from that pale face to rest on Shikamaru's arm, they stopped dead in their tracks.

"Son," Shikaku said after a moment with a breathless voice, "what happened?"

"I found him in the forest this way. If he's not healed immediately, he'll mostlikely bleed to death."

"Let him die," one woman said. "He is a curse on this village!"

"That's right!" A young man agreed. "He killed the Third Hokage. He deserves whatever he gets."

The Naras cheered on the idea. If Orochimaru was dead, there was no way he could threaten their villiage. They were still rebuilding from his attack two years ago. Another attack like the first could crush Konoha, especially since he knew Tsunade's weaknesses better than he had known Hiruzen's. Leaving him to die was the best decision not only for their clan, but for their country.

Shikaku listened to their jeers with patience for a moment before he raised his hand. Solemnly he looked at his son. "You are the one who found the intruder, and as my son you will inherit this land. What do you think we should do, Shikamaru?"

Looking down at that cold man, Shikamaru could only remember watching his home under siege of enemy ninja and facing down nine jounin, knowing he was about to die, only to barely be saved by the sensai he'd since revered. He listened to the calls of "kill him" before shaking his head. "No, we can't just let him die. He's an S Class Rogue Ninja. It's the Hokage's decision of what we do with him. We can't take the law into our own hands. Besides, there's no telling the information that interrogation could produce. We have to heal him."

A small smile on his father's face was the only sign the youth got that he had chosen wisely. At Shikaku's order, the medic's slowly moved in and began healing the Sannin once Shikamaru laid him on the ground. Several of them glared at the young man, and he flinched at their unspoken accusation. Many people had lost loved ones because of this man, even his own kinsmen. They were not happy with the decision, and though it ultimately belonged to his father, he could tell they were blaming him. Great.

"There," the woman who had first spoken said, her eyes piercing the teenager's, "his wounds are healed. He shouldn't regain conciousness for several hours, but you had best get him to the Hokage as soon as possible."

Her tone reeked of disapproval and anger, but Shikamaru ignored her and picked the Sannin back up. Shikaku placed a hand on his shoulder. "I will trust you to take care of this. I will tend to our kinsmen."

Shikamaru nodded and took off towards the village, the eyes of his brothers and sisters following him colder than the night air could ever be.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter One:**

Tsunade sometimes wondered if she had made the right decision in becoming the Fifth Hokage. Sure, she loved Konoha, even if she had lost her faith in it for a while, and she would do anything to protect it from harm. But why did such a noble job have to come with so much damn paperwork? Shouldn't someone, anyone else have to deal with it? No, she was not quite so lucky. It was her job, which she tried to ignore as much as possible. Of course, that probably could explain why she was still awake and reading reports at three in the morning. Sighing heavily and desperately missing her saki, she dutifully read through Naruto's latest mission report, squinting to read his chicken scratch handwriting. Really, did he have to say he gave the enemy a thorough "ass whooping"?

Of course, at this late hour, one of the last things Tsunade expected was for a half naked Shikamaru to burst through her office door holding the unconcious body of her former teammate. The fact that she was presented with such a sight was the best explanation as to why her tea sprayed forth from her mouth across her desk and Naruto's less than professional report.

"Shikamaru, what the hell is going on?" she spat. "What is that man doing in my village? Did you actually defeat him?"

"No such luck, Lady Fifth," he replied, trying to catch his breath. "I found him in our forest, bleeding to death. Our medics healed him so I could present him to you for further judgement."

With a deep sigh Tsunade instructed the young man to lay Orochimaru down as she contacted Shizune via intercom to gather several anbu and report directly to her. "Any idea what he might have been doing in your forest?"

"My best guess is that he was running, most likely from Itachi."

Tsunade raise a slender, yellow eyebrow. "How did you come to that conclustion?"

"We know that Orochimaru has made enemies of the Akatsuki. He said as much when he fought against Naruto earlier this year. Orochimaru ran to our forest for protection. He is a native of Konoha and has intelligence about the Nara grounds. The only Akatsuki member who also has knowledge of our forest and is of caliber to stand against him is Itachi."

"How do you know that someone else didn't follow him into the forest and leave before you arrived?"

"I could tell by the trail of blood he left that he'd been bleeding before he entered the forest. Plus, if anyone had followed him in, I doubt they would have left him alive. Also, we never felt a figure leaving the forest, only one intruder."

Tsunade nodded. "Very well, but how do you know it wasn't Sasuke? He knows about your lands as well."

Shikamaru shook his head. "If Naruto, after all of Jiraiya's training, still isn't strong enough to bring down Orochimaru, I doubt Sasuke is. Besides, Sasuke is too arrogant. If he would have wanted Orochimaru dead, he would have followed him regardless of our forest's warning, assuming he could take on anyone who found him. Only Itachi would have been wise enough to be wary."

"Well, it sounds good to me. I suppose I'll get more of an idea of what happened when he wakes up. For now, go home, wash up, and get some rest. I'll expect you in my office at seven."

Shikamaru blinked. "What? Why? I don't recall being on mission detail tomorrow."

The fifth gave him a wry grin. "Your sensai's last report to me was your Intelligence Score. I want to put you to practice in interrogation. In the morning you will come here to meet with Ibiki. Since you found Orochimaru, you should be a part of this."

The young Nara sighed, placed Orochimaru on the floor, and walked out as a confused Shizune and the requested anbu moved to pass him. Leave it to Tsunade to add to his workload at four in the morning. Sometimes he truly despised his own intelligence. It always seemed to make his life harder.

The alarm was still ringing when Yoshino Nara decided it was time for her son to wake up. She walked into his room, slammed her fist on the clock to shut it up, and stared down at the sleeping boy. She had to admit, he looked almost angelic with his eyes closed and his face leaving a soft imprint on the pillow. It temporarily brought her back to a time when her boy could fit in the fold of her arms, and she smiled softly. Then, with a sigh, she jumped forward in time again and realized her son was now a ninja and he had a job to do. With a surly grin she leaned down and put her lips next to his ear.

"SHIKAMARU!!! GET UP!"

Yoshino backed away as her son nearly lept out of his skin, sitting straight up and knocking the covers away. His wide brown eyes scanned the room and landed on the harpy that was his mother. She smiled. "You're late." Then she turned and left, leaving the youth to swear at her back.

Shikamaru glanced at the clock, and then he cursed even harder. It was seven thirty, half an hour past the time Tsunade had told him to be in her office, and as he jumped into a pair of pants he knew he was in for a world class nagging. Great, just great.

He walked down the stairs zipping up his chunin jacket and pulling his hair into its ever present ponytail. He would have to skip breakfast... again. His schedule had been hell during the chunin exams and now that they were finally over Tsunade had decided to put him on interrogation detail. And of course she would have to decide this when they had just captured one of Konoha's longest outstanding S-class criminals. What the hell was she thinking anyway. Sure, Shikamaru was intelligent, but Orochimaru was an evil mastermind, and he'd most likely eat the Nara alive. Well, at least Ibiki would be there. Of course, it was a well known fact that even the hardcore Ibiki was creeped out by the Snake Sannin.

He was so lost in thought that he almost didn't hear his parents muttering to each other. His mother sounded angry and his father swore lightly under his breath. He only had a moment to wonder what could have upset them both when a horrid smell drafted to his nostrils. It was rotten and putrid, and Shikamaru had to cover his nose to keep from gagging.

"Mom, Dad, what the hell is that?" He called, walking into the kitchen. His mother dashed to move in front of something on the table, but his father shook his head.

"There's no sense in hiding it from him," Shikaku said. "He's going to have to deal with it eventually. Sit down, Shikamaru."

"I'm late," Shikamaru replied, but he sat down anyway. The look on his father's face said that it was serious. "So what is that smell?"

Shikaku motioned for his wife to move and slowly she complied. It took the boy a minute to realize what was in the wicker basket his mother had been trying to hide. Fish heads, a whole basket full. That certainly explained the smell.

"What is that doing here?"

His father sighed. "Here, read the note."

With an eyebrow raised, the young boy took the piece of paper his father handed him. He unfolded it slowly and read the characters not once, but twice to make sure he got it right. "To: Shikamaru. Wrong Choice."

"What is this about? The situation with Orochimaru?"

Shikaku sighed and sat by his son. "Shikamaru, sometimes the right choice isn't the most popular choice. Hell, sometimes the right choice will make everyone else angry, and then sometimes they will retaliate. When I spoke to our kinsmen last night, I could tell they were unhappy. They were ordered to keep quite about what happened last night, but it appears that the story was leaked anyway."

"This couldn't have been one of our kinsmen?"

"I doubt that any Nara, no matter how upset, would dare to leave such a thing at our doorstep. By this time, there's no telling how many people know right now, but the entire village will know by tonight. This isn't going to be easy to deal with. You might want to consider requesting a reprieve from your chunin duties. A couple of fish heads in a basket aren't going to be the end of it."

Shikamaru stood and shook his head, "No, I can't. Even if I wanted to, Tsunade is throwing extra responsibilities my way, involving Orochimaru. I can deal with a few hurt feelings."

The boy stood and left, and as much as he wanted to, Shikaku didn't stop him. His son would learn soon enough just how tough this was going to be.

"Well, isn't this adorable," Orochimaru hissed as the Nara youth walked through the doors. "Look, Ibiki. Tsunade's sent a child for us to play with."

Ibiki growled. Shikamaru was an hour late, but it wasn't as though he had missed anything. The lead interrogator worked best by getting inside his enemy's mind and then turning that enemy's own thoughts against him. But Orochimaru's mind was a dark and twisted place, and so far he'd had no luck getting through.

"You're late," Ibiki said, not taking his eyes off the Snake Sannin.

"I know," Shikamaru replied. Normally he would have apologized, but doing so was a sign of weakness, and it would do no good to show weakness in front of this man. He looked up and forced himself not to pale under that amber gaze. Never had he imagined that he would stand face to face with this man, and now that he was, he felt real fear tingling through his veins.

Orochimaru was strapped down into restraints, forced into a kneeling position. Chakra sealing paper tags lined his arms and bare torso. Still, as helpless as he looked tied down, an aura of danger radiated from him. He licked his lips with a far too long tongue as his eyes settled on his new prey. He had no idea who the boy was, but he was sure he would have fun with him.

"Shikamaru here is the one who found you in his forest," Ibiki told the rogue nin. "You should be grateful."

"Ah, so the kid is a Nara, is he? Well, that certainly does make things more interesting."

Shikamaru cleared his throat. Interesting didn't begin to describe it. "So, do you want to tell us why Itachi was after you?"

Orochimaru's smirk turned into a growl and the boy couldn't stop himself from taking a step back. "How the hell do you know about that?"

Shikamaru sighed. This was going to be a long day.


	3. Chapter 3

"Well, you do seem to be quite the intelligent one," Orochimaru hissed. "So with just a few simple hints you were able to figure out that Itachi was the one who gave me so much trouble. My, my... you're a lot like your grandfather."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "I take it you knew him."

"Of course I did. We were in the same class. He was a lazy genius." The Snake Sannin chuckled. "Believe it or not, we were friends. I was there for your father's birth. Heh, I was there for yours as well, Shikamaru. As a matter of fact, I helped deliver you."

"What?"

"Your mother went into labor with you just as your father and I got back from a mission. We didn't have time to get her to the hospital. You were in far too much of a hurry."

"That's enough!" Ibiki growled. "We didn't bring you in here for a friendly chat."

"Of course not. I was simply regaling the boy with stories of his family, stories I was sure they'd neglected to tell him. I'm sure they didn't want to upset their precious bundle of joy, but I thought he had a right to know. Besides, how could I resist him. He looks just like his grandfather did at that age, when we were both so innocent."

The snake's tounge darted out and gripped Shikamaru's chin tightly, startling him. But nothing was more surprising than the fact that he managed to speak around it.

"You know I always did think Shikato was rather cute," he chuckled as that long tounge wrapped gently around Shikamaru's neck and the tip slid under his shirt. "You're a spitting image. I bet you'd be fun to play with."

Ororchimaru's fun was ended when Ibiki backhand him as hard as he could across the face, causing his tounge to withdraw. Nevermind the fact that the master of torture himself would never have dared to touch the porceline creature if the restraints were not in place. Shikamaru meanwhile constricted the muscles around his bladder because God help him he was not going to wet himself in front of this man, no matter how much he creeped him out. It was scary to find out how close this rogue nin had been to his family. No wonder he'd run immediately to their forest. He knew Shikaku well enough to know that the Nara wouldn't kill him while he was weakened. Still, it unnerved him that Orochimaru had looked at him with those golden eyes and even suggested that he was attractive. He wasn't sure how he was going to handle this interrogation.

"Are you going to tell us why Itachi was chasing you or not?" Shikamaru repeated with far more bravado than he felt.

"Straight to the point, eh," the pale man chuckled as he licked his lips. "As you wish. I suppose I do owe you at least that much for my ... rescue. I'm not sure of Itachi's exact reasons for attacking me. Perhaps he was hunting me down, or perhaps it was simple bad luck that I ran across him. I know that the Akatsuki are hunting me because I abandoned them, and Itachi and I have always had a difficult relationship."

"What were you doing so close to Konoha?"

Orochimaru smirked. "Would you believe planning a surprise birthday party for Tsunade?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. Ibiki chuckled, "Don't worry, Shikamaru. It's quite common for prisoners to give an interrogator trouble. You're about to learn about the different methods we use to extract the information we need."

"Ah, good old torture," Orochimaru said with a smile. "But what technique do you plan to use on me, Ibiki? Those childish mind games you played at the Chunin exams won't work on me."

"Unfortunately, Shikamaru, he is right about that. I'm not sure anyone could penetrate that twisted mind of his. But mental games are not the only path open to us. If we can't get through his psyche, then we'll have to use physical methods."

Shikamaru swallowed hard. He was Chunin rank, and more than ready to serve his country, but as Ibiki rolled out a leather carrying case full of implements that he could only guess their purpose, he wondered if he was ready for this. He had hunted and killed Hidan in a lust for revenge, and in that vengance he had lost his innocence, and a part of his soul had been tainted. He was a murderer in every sense of the word, whether it had been a legal kill or not. Some nights that choice weighed heavy on him, regardless how many countless lives he may have saved. It was hard enough for this fifteen year old boy to live with the blood on his hands, could he handle torture too? Would he be able to shut his emotions away when his prey was screaming for mercy? Tsunade seemed to think so. If he took this last step, what would he become? If only he could have asked Asuma for advice.

While the teen was lost in thought, Ibiki was studying him. Shikamaru was already wavering on the edge. Since the day of his sensai's death, he'd taken on more than his fair share of responsibilities. He'd hunted down and killed an Akatsuki member, he'd comforted Kureni when she fell apart, and he'd sworn to care for her and Asuma's child as well. Perhaps Tsunade had been too hasty in sending him here.

"Shikamaru," the man said suddenly, "stay here and watch him. I must go speak with the Hokage for a few moments. You can handle that, can't you?"

"Yes," he replied with bravado, regardless of his own hesitation.

Orochimaru couldn't stop his laughter. "Really Ibiki, are you getting too old? Would you really leave this poor little lamb for me to slaughter? You're not expecting me to be merciful, are you?"

Ibiki smirked. "No, of course not. But you shouldn't underestimate him. After all, he's done something you have yet to do. He's killed an Akatsuki member."

"Oh really? Who?"

"Hidan."

And he walked out on that note, leaving Orochimaru wide eyed and slack jawed. Immediately he turned his gaze to the Nara heir. There had to be something more to this boy than he had originally thought. He took a moment to compose himself, then asked, "How did you manage to kill him? He seemed immortal enough to me."

Shikamaru frowned. He wasn't sure he should answer this man's questions, but gaining repore with him certainly couldn't hurt their interrogation either. "Hidan was only immortal because of the unique way he killed people. Unable to do that, he'll die, slowly and painfully."

"And how did you manage to incapacitate him?"

Shikamaru explained how he had outsmarted Hidan, being careful to leaved out any details of the ninjutsu he had used. It would do no good for Orochimaru to know exactly what he was capable of.

The Snake Sanin chuckled darkly. "Amazing. Absolutely brilliant. I can't believe anyone your age actually pulled it off. So, why did you do it?"

"He was an S class rogue ninja. I didn't need a reason."

"True, but I am of the same status, and you didn't let me die. Why save one and kill another? Besides, I've done far more damage to Konoha than Hidan ever did. So what really drove you to take him down?"

Shikamaru sighed. He was on dangerous ground. Orochimaru was trying to get inside his head, discover what made him tick, so he could use it to his advantage in the future. What damage could be done if he gave him the real reason? "I'll tell you, if you tell me why you were near Konoha to begin with."

Orochimaru smirked. "Quid pro quo, eh? Why not? I was scouting the borders of Konoha for Jiraiya, actually. You see, I had inside information that he has a spy in the Akatsuki, and if I could find out who, then I would have a little leverage with Pein, the leader of said organization. I don't find it much of a coinsidence that I met up with Itachi in my search."

Shikamaru's eyes widened with the news. This couldn't be true. "You think Itachi is his spy? But that would mean Itachi is helping Konoha. That doesn't make any sense."

"Well, it might, if my suspesions are true."

"And what might they be?"

The snake shook his head. "Oh, no... you first. Why did you kill Hidan?"

He was playing a dangerous game, one that even a genius such as himself could lose. When it came to mind games, Orochimaru was a was an evil mastermind. There was no telling whether or not he could stand toe to toe with him, but he had to try. "He killed my sensai, Asuma Sarutobi."

"Ah, so the rebel is finally at rest, is he? I remember him. He was quite the warrior. Such a shame. So, you wanted revenge, and you took a life in cold blood? What must your friends think of you?"

"I answered your question, now answer mine."

"Ah, no my dear. Your answer came after one of mine, therefore it is my turn again. Now let's see. Ah, I know. Tell me, how did it feel to take his life away? What did you say to him?"

"I said he dug his own grave when he killed my teacher. I told him Jashin be damned, I was his god now. And it felt good to kill him. I've never felt such a high before."

"Yes, it does feel good, doesn't it, to watch someone you hate slip slowly into the everafter. And how does it feel to know you enjoyed it?"

"Answer my question first."

"Very good. Ah, you are going to be fun. Well, I have a feeling that Itachi has been working for Konoha all along. You see, I always found it very odd that he ended up in the same organization that I did, like he was drawn to it. And of course, that would make sense if Jiraiya was setting up a spy. As far as everyone knows, he became a rogue nin for killing his entire clan, save his brother. But Danzo's little pet Sai let it slip that Danzo wanted Sasuke dead, but was too afraid of Itachi to attack him outright."

"But if Itachi killed the rest of his clan, why would he save Sasuke from Danzo?"

The serpent nodded. "Exactly. I have a feeling that Itachi has been following orders this entire time."

"But why would anyone have ordered the destruction of the Uchiha clan, and who ordered it?"

"I have no idea. Now, your turn."

Shikamaru sighed. "Why does it matter?"

"Doesn't matter. That's how the game works."

The young Nara's fist clenched. He didn't want to answer, but if he didn't, the game was over, and it would be that much harder to get information from him. "It makes me wonder about myself, whether or not I'm a good man or if I'm headed down a dark road. I'm not very happy about it."

"But you do realize you've killed in cold blood?"

"Yes."

The conversation may have gone further, but Ibiki returned. Orochimaru licked his lips, prepared for round two. Shikamaru sighed and prepared to tell him what he had learned so far, though he thought it better to leave out exactly how he had gotten the information.

xxxxxxx

Shikamaru had been excused at lunchtime, before any of the torture actually began. Apparently Ibiki was just as cautious about the teen being a part of it as he was himself. It was fine with him. He needed the fresh air anyway, to clear his head. He had shared far too much personal information with Orochimaru, but it had provided him with what he'd needed at the time.

A growl in his stomach reminded him that he had skipped breakfast. Ichiraku Ramen was nearby and he was sure Naruto would be there. A friendly face might do him some good after the morning he'd had. He needed someone to smile at him as though there were never a problem in the world, and Konoha's number one unpredictable ninja was just the person to give it to him.

The ramen stand wasn't far from the Hokage's mansion, and when he pulled back the covering, he saw the infamous orange jumpsuit and spikey yellow hair. He let loose a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding when he saw him, noticing just how much he'd been hoping to see him.

"Can I get one special, please," he called to the owner. The elder man looked him up and down, then nodded, but the humor that normally lit his face was absent when he saw Shikamaru. A chill ran down the youth's spine. Had the owner heard too. How many people must know by now, and what did that mean for him?

Hearing the teen's voice, Naruto turned and met face to face with the lazy nin that he'd grown up with, and until this morning had thought he knew well. Shikamaru gave him a weary smile and moved to sit beside him, but the knucklehead stood, frowning, his fists clenched as though he'd been waiting for this moment. His blue eyes were on fire, and Shikamaru knew he knew.

"How could you?" The jinchikiru growled.

"Naruto, I-"

"No, you listen to me. How could you save that man? Don't you realize the pain he's caused all of us? Don't you care? Who's side are you on, Shikamaru?"

"Naruto, calm down. I was just doing my job. Why can't any of you see that?"

"You're job? Orochimaru has taken so many lives from this village! He killed the old man! He took Sasuke away from us! You're telling me it was your job to help him? How long have you been helping him, Shikamaru?"

"Naruto, it wasn't as though I came across a battle and helped him defeat his enemy, or anything like that. I found him bleeding to death in our forest. I ordered our medics to heal him. I wasn't helping him, I was trying to preserve information."

"What the hell do you mean, preserve information? He's still a danger to us, even if we have him in custody. How could you save him after all he's done?"

"You act as though I don't remember the attack on Konoha, or the failed mission to retrieve Sasuke. I do, and they haunt me, but when I found Orochimaru he was defenseless, dying. Could you have killed him so easily under those circumstances?"

Naruto wanted to rage that yes, he could have slit his throat and been done with it. But he hesitated. Whether it be his kind nature, or the knowledge that despite all Orochimaru had done, Jiraiya still cared about him, he knew the truth. "No. But why save him, Shikamaru? That's what I don't understand."

"I know you feel like I betrayed you, Naruto, and I'm sorry for that. But the decision was ultimately left to the Hokage, and I had to ensure he lived long enough for her to make that decision. Besides, Orochimaru has infinately valuable information on the Akatsuki, and he's likely to know where to find Sasuke. He can't tell us anything if he's dead."

Naruto smirked. "Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry. I should have had more faith in you. I'll do what I can to convince the others too."

Shikamaru sighed, "So everyone knows, huh? Great. I'd better avoid Sakura and Ino for a while."

The fox nin paled slightly, his gaze just over his friend's shoulder, and his finger pointing, trembling, behind the shadow user. "Too late."

Shikamaru turned around just in time for his left eye to connect solidly with Sakura's chakra charged fist, and suddenly he was sailing through the air. He flew into a nearby building and was barely able to hear Naruto's shocked protests before he passed out.

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Orochimaru sat quietly in his cell, comtemplating. The papers sealing his chakra still lined his body, but for now he was unrestrained behind the bars and had been allowed the decency of putting on a robe. His body was sore from the literal probing Ibiki had forced him to endure, but for now, he was well enough. All he was really doing at this moment was thinking over the information he had learned early and waiting.

An Anbu walked slowly up to his cage, and he turned to face him. The Anbu checked around, then removed his mask to reveal his most loyal subject, Kabuto. "Well, Lord Orochimaru, I see they've been treating you well."

The Snake Sannin smirked. "I was wondering when you would come."

"I figured something went wrong when you didn't return the other night. Are you ready to go?"

"Not just yet. I have something in the works, and I want to see where it goes. I may have found the key to destroying Konoha before Tsunade ever has a clue its happening."

"Oh? Care to share?"

"There's a young Nara here whom I might have a chance at persuading to my side, if I play my cards right. He made the very unpopular decision to save my life, and if I know the citizens of Konoha at all, they'll be turning on him in no time."

"A young Nara, huh? You can't be talking about that Shikamaru kid. What good could he possibly be?"

"He's a brilliant strategist. He took out Hidan. But that's not really what I want him for. Think Kabuto. He is a Nara."

"Wait, you mean-"

Orochimaru nodded. "That's right. The Nara forest is the largest border of Konoha, that's why the city is so well protected. No one can enter that forest without a clan member's permission. But it's the perfect spot for an invasion. The trees are so thick they'd never see us coming. There's never been a Nara defect from Konoha, but if we could get one to, we'd have instant access to the inner city. We'd win before they were even prepared to fight."

Kabuto chuckled. "A good plan, my lord. But do you think you can get the boy to leave?"

"Give it some time. With the way the people are bound to react to his decision, I won't have to do much of anything at all."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Earlier that day:**_

The icepack on his head did nothing to calm his headache, and Shikamaru winced at Sakura's high pitched voice as she screamed at Naruto. After arguing for a good seventeen minutes, in which time the shadow nin thought his head might explode if Sakura didn't stop screaming, the young medic walked over to Shikamaru, a fire burning in her eyes.

"Naruto said that you might be able to get information on where Sasuke is and how to bring him home? Are you really going to do that? I thought you didn't like Sasuke?'

Shikamaru sighed. No, he didn't like Sasuke. He never had. And after a failed mission to retrieve him, after watching so many of his friends nearly die to bring the Uchiha home only to have him run to the Sound anyway, he definately didn't like him. In fact, it was safe to say that Shikamaru hated Sasuke. But for some reason Naruto and Sakura could see no wrong in the guy, and they were devoted to bringing him home, even though they'd been unsuccessful for two years now. It would do no good to admit his true feelings. It would just start a bigger argument, and he'd probably get punched again. No need for that. One swollen eye was good enough for him.

"Listen, Lady Tsunade has asked me to help in his interrogation. I have every intention of finding out anything I can about Sasuke, as well as important information on the group of rogue ninja that are after Naruto."

Sakura sighed. She was so angry, but it wasn't soley at Shikamaru himself. No, most of her anger was directed at the man they currently had behind bars. She hated Orochimaru for taking Sasuke away from her. Team 7 had been growing so close, and then that curse mark appeared and changed Sasuke. It was all Orochimaru's fault, and if the Nara had just left him to die in the woods, then she just knew that her teammate would have realized his mistake. Certainly without the snake there to pull his strings, Sasuke Uchiha would have been home as soon as the weekend, regretting his actions and begging just for their friendship again. At least, that's how it played out in her mind. But Shikamaru had ruined that by ensuring the man lived. And even though he was locked up now, everyone in Konoha knew he was too skilled to stay that way. He might even order Sasuke to attack on his behalf, and then what? Sasuke would be labled a missing nin and forever hunted by his hometown, unable to return just because Shikamaru didn't have the guts to slit the man's throat.

"This had better work out how you're planning, Shikamaru," she warned. "If it doesn't, if we can't find Sasuke, I'm going to hold you personally responsible, and trust me, so will Ino."

With a huff and a flip of her pink hair, she sauntered off. Naruto helped the teen to stand and he sighed heavily. How many more people were going to react this harshly. Shikamaru shook slightly as he felt his stomach twist. His father had tried to warn him. Would he really be able to handle this?

"It'll be okay, Shikamaru," Naruto said kindly. "Don't worry. I've still got your back. I'll help you take care of this."

Shikamaru gave a wry smile. True Choji was his best friend, but there were many times when he wondered just what he would do without the Uzumaki brat. Strangely, sometime between Orochimaru's attack on the village, and Naruto taking out Kakazu, their friendship had grown without either of them doing much of anything to progress it. It just seemed that they happened to be there when they needed each other. "Thanks Naruto. I'm going to head home. I need to talk to my dad anyway."

"Not before you eat your special you're not," the fox nin chuckled. "The new recipe is awesome. You have to try it. Come on."

Shikamaru's stomach growled, reminding him for a second time that he had skipped breakfast this morning, and he sat with Naruto. The owner gave him a careful smile as he delivered his bowl. Apparently, if he had Naruto's approval, then he was ok. Hopefully the rest of their friends would be so kind.

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_**The next morning:**_

Tsunade stared at her former teammate, her frown wrinkling her lips as well as her brow. Orochimaru lookd at her expectantly, his amber eyes glowing as he waited for whatever she had to say to him. It had to be important, if Tsunade herself was here instead of Ibiki, and he had a feeling he already knew what this was about.

"We found one of our anbu dead this morning. His throat had been slit."

Bingo. "Such a shame," the snake hissed. "Did he have many enemies?"

"We are currently investigating the matter, which is what lead me to you." The fifth Hokage sighed. "This wouldn't be the first time that Kabuto had used the dead soul jutsu on one of our Anbu, according to Kakashi Hatake. It would be best for you to confess now if he had been here. Otherwise, we might have to find other means to get the information out of you."

Orochimaru smirked. He had no intention of telling her the truth. He couldn't reveal his cards just yet. No, he had already prepared a sound lie for this moment. "Do whatever you want, Princess, it won't change my answer. Kabuto wasn't here."

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "And why in the world should I believe that. This incident has your work written all over it. Now tell me the truth, or I will send Ibiki in here to get it from you."

The snake Sannin sighed. "Tsunade, think about this for a second, would you. If Kabuto had been here, I wouldn't still be in this cell. He's a medic ninja. He could remove these Chakra seals in no time. Without these tags, there's nothing to keep me here."

Her frown deepened. Everything Orochimaru had said was true. And honestly she could think of no reason why he would choose to stay in his cell rather than be freed. Her teammate did not like the feeling of helplessness, that much she knew. She had no reason to doubt he was telling the truth.

"Very well. We will investigate other avenues."

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Shikamaru had not slept well that night. His father had been away and was just now returning home. The boy was considering whether or not to confront him at this moment. Sure, he wanted to know if what Orochimaru had said was true. And the more he thought about it, the more likely it was that the Sannin hadn't lied, at least not completely. Even though he was a rogue nin now, he hadn't always been. He was a native of this village, and he must have had friends here at one point. He must have had a life here. It unnerved him to think that the man who was the very bane of Konoha had been his grandfather's friend, his father's friend; that he had stood in this house and laughed with his family.

Shikaku seemed weary as he sat down to his breakfast, and his son had to wonder if it was the mission he had been on, or if something heavier had weighed on his mind. Could he be feeling remorse for a former friend? Was it this remorse that had allowed Orochimaru to live? Was it this same remorse that caused Shikamaru's kinsmen and friends to turn against him? He had to know the truth.

"Dad," he said carefully, watching his father's tired eyes land on him. How should he go about this? "Dad, do you still have the tape you recorded when I was born?"

Shikaku paused with his coffee just inches from his lips. What had brought this on? Had Orochimaru said something to the boy. Shikaku had only just been informed of his son's involvement in the Sannin's interrogation as he handed in his report, and he had vehemently protested against it. There were some family secrets he didn't want brought up to Shikamaru, and this was definately one of them. However, before the elder Nara could think up a viable lie, his wife answered for him.

"Of course we do, Shikamaru," she said in a voice that was sweeter than her normal one. "It was a very important day for us. We wanted to remember it forever."

The teenager nodded. "Good. I'd like to see it."

Shikaku interupted before this conversation could advance further. "Why would you want to bother with that? You've never asked about it before."

"Orochimaru told me he helped in my delievery. I wanted to know if it was true."

Damn that snake! Shikaku frowned. "It's not something you need to worry about, Shikamaru. I've talked to Tsunade. She's pulling you from Orochimaru's interrogation. You won't have to deal with him anymore."

Shikamaru's eyes widened. It was true! There was no other reason his father would put off such a trivial thing. But what was he trying to hide from him. "Why are you pulling me from the case? Tsunade wants me to start on interrogations. She thinks I have the mind for it."

"Maybe you do and maybe you don't. Either way, this isn't the sort of case you should be involved in. You're too young."

"What do you mean I'm too young? I'm not too young to serve my country. I wasn't too young to avenge Asuma-sensai. Why am I suddenly too young now?"

"Shikamaru, don't argue with me about this. It's been settled. Now eat your breakfast."

"I don't agree with this. I want to continue with the interrogation. I was the one to find Orochimaru, and I was able to accurately figure out how he got into his predicament. I was also able to get sensitive information out of him. It doesn't make sense to take me off now."

"I said you're off the case. Let it go."

"Who are you to decide that? The Hokage-"

"I am your father! And I am the Jonin Commander of Konohagakure. I decide what missions our ninja are capable of handling, and this one is over your head. My decision is final."

Shikamaru gritted his teeth. "That's not fair. I am qualified for this mission. You can't take me off of it just because you don't want me to do it."

"Watch me."

With an angry glare, Shikamaru stood, his chair scraping harshly against the wooden floor, and stormed out the door. Yoshino frowned as she sat down, watching her son's backside disappear into the morning sun. "Do you really think you're being fair, Shikaku? Orochimaru used to be our friend. What harm could it possibly do for Shikamaru to know?"

"I don't know. But Orochimaru is very charasmatic and manipulative man when he wants to be, and I don't want him getting his hands on our son. All it will take is the slightest insecurity, and Orochimaru will play on it to get what he wants. It's best if Shikamaru is kept away from him. He's still sensitive to the loss of his sensai. Orochimaru didn't tell him about our former friendship for no reason. He has a plan, and I want to keep our son as far away from it as possible."

Yoshino sighed and sipped her tea. "I hope you're right."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


	5. Chapter 5

Shikamaru sighed as he strolled down the rocky path that would lead him to his destination. The warmth pouring from the rays of the morning sun doing nothing to help the chill that ran from his blood into his very bones. He knew his father well, idolized him almost, and Shikaku wouldn't have taken him off of the interrogation unless he had a very good reason. What really irked him was that apparently his father didn't trust him enough to tell him his reasons, or the truth about Orochimaru's involvement with his family before he left the village. For the first time, his father was hiding things from him. But why?

"Shikamaru!" He heard a shrill voice call out to him, and turned to meet an angry Ino dragging Choji by the hand and marching furiously towards him.

_Just great..._ Shikamaru thought as he stood still waiting for them, his hands slotted into the pockets of his pants. _I was hoping to avoid her for another day. I really don't need this. Troublesome._

"Shikamaru Nara!" Ino proclaimed. "What the hell do you think you're doing hiding from me?"

"Who said I was hiding?" _Damn. When did she get so perceptive?_

"I've been looking for you ever since I heard the news. So, is it true? Did you really save Orochimaru's life?"

The shadow nin sighed and looked to Choji for support, but his best friend watched him with curiousity in his eyes. He would be getting no support from the Akamichi today. "It wasn't really as grand as all that, Ino. I found him bleeding in our forest, late at night. I made sure he lived so the Intelligence Corp could get sensitive information out of him."

The young Yamanaka humphed. "Sakura made it sound like you had a lot more to do with the interrogation."

"Well, I did, but the Jounin Commander decided I wasn't fit for the job and pulled me from it."

Choji frowned. "But, Shikamaru, your dad is the Jounin Commander."

"Yeah, I know."

His blonde teammate frowned. "Why did he take you off the case?"

"Don't know. He wouldn't tell me."

"I see. So now, you've saved the man who took Sasuke away, and you won't be able to get any information out of him. Really, Shikamaru, how could you do this?"

"Just because I'm off the case doesn't mean that someone else won't get the information out of him, Ino."

"But no one else is going to focus on getting Sasuke back. They're going to be more worried about the Akatsuki."

"Well, it is more important."

Choji winced and wished that, for just once, Shikamaru would learn when to keep his blunt truths to himself. Ino started turning red. "What the hell do you mean, it's more important! Sasuke's a member of this village!"

As Ino begin to list all the things that made Sasuke Uchiha great, and why he should care, and then several promises that she wouldn't be speaking to him any time soon, Shikamaru cursed his luck. His chocolate orbs slid over to the redhead, wondering if he was going to be any help whatsoever, but Choji kept his eyes on the ground. He wasn't even munching on his favorite snack. Something was upsetting him, and the Nara had a sinking feeling that he knew what it was.

His train of thought stopped short, however, when Ino's hand connected squarely with his cheek. She didn't hold back, and her strength whipped his head around, almost knocking him off of his feet, causing him to stumble. His skin was already welting and turning red, stinging painfully. Gently he rubbed his bruising cheek and stared open mouthed at his teammate.

Ino's sky blue eyes were burning with anger, and a scalding tear traced it's way down her cheek. Furiously she dragged her wrist across her eyes to clear them and then glared at the wispy teen in front of her. "How could you do this to me, Shikamaru?"

"What are you talking about, Ino? I was just doing my job, and it's not my fault that I was-"

"That's not what I mean, you idiot!" She shrieked, and her voice warbled. Her eyes brimmed over again and this time she couldn't stop the tears from falling freely. "You just think I'm some sort of joke, don't you?"

Sharp, chocolate colored orbs widened in confusion. _What the hell?_ "What are you talking about? This doesn't have anything to do with you. I couldn't let a source of valuable information just bleed out on the forest floor!"

"You really are stupid, aren't you? You just don't get it, do you? This has everything to do with me, like it has everything to do with Sakura, and Naruto, and Choji, and Kiba, and Neji, and Lee, and-"

"Slow down, Ino. You're not making any sense. I had a choice to make, and I did what I thought was best."

The young psion took a deep breath and pinched her brow. Her temper was boiling over rapidly, but she reminded herself over and over that regardless of her friend's ridiculously high IQ, he really had no idea how to relate to people, or what the people around him might be feeling. "You think too much like a ninja, Shikamaru."

The Nara's brow knit together as he tried to decipher what Ino was saying to him. Unfortunately, he just kept coming up blank. No matter how he tried to piece it together, it just didn't make a whole picture. Whatever Ino was trying to tell him, he just didn't get it. "Well, I am a ninja, Ino."

The blonde raised her hand to slap him again but dropped it when she realized that no matter how good it felt to hit him, it wouldn't get her anywhere. It was funny to watch him flinch, however.

"Shikamaru, that man you thought so valuable to save, took our childhoods away from us. Sure, we became ninja, and we knew what that meant, but even in the forest of death, we never faced anything like what we faced that day. That day, we stopped being teenagers, and we became soldiers."

_If I remember correctly, Kabuto put you to sleep that day. You didn't see much of anything._ "I know Ino. I know. But we all had to grow up one day." _Hell, I almost died that day. I would have, if Asuma hadn't saved me. And I couldn't even return the favor._ He shook the guilt trip aside. Save that for another day. "I don't like the man either, and I don't forgive what he's done. But if we want to save our village, and Naruto, we have to get as much information on the Akatsuki as we can. We needed him alive."

"Maybe, Shikamaru, but if he died, we could all rest easier. You can think what you want, but when I said I loved Sasuke, I meant it. If Orochimaru was dead..."

"If Orochimaru was dead, Sasuke would still be a rogue nin hunting his brother. That's all he cares about Ino. Nothing else matters to him. Not Naruto, not Sakura, and not you."

Her hands curled into fists and her right hook sailed into his jaw, knocking him back. He stumbled again, but this time he landed on his rear. Quickly he covered his face with his arms, just in time to block the kick that had been aimed for his nose. The force knocked his head to the ground, and he curled up in the fetal position to prevent as much damage as he could, waiting for the next blow. It never came.

Slowly he unfurled himself and looked up. Choji stood there, his strong arm pushing Ino back. She stood there, shaking, her knuckles turning white as her tears rained to the ground. She sniffed, shook her head, and pushed away from the Akamichi.

"How could you, you son of a bitch! Just leave me alone, you hear me? Leave me ALONE!"

She turned and ran. Choji sighed and extended his hand to his best friend, and Shikamaru took it gratefully. Carefully the auburn haired ninja dusted off the back of the Nara's chuunin jacket and ran a thumb gently across the the already bruising imprint their teammate had left.

"You shouldn't have said that, Shikamaru."

"She'll get over it... you know, eventually."

"I don't know, that was pretty harsh. She didn't deserve that."

The shadow nin sighed and rubbed his face with his hand. _What the hell else is going to happen this week? _"Yeah, I know...I just..." He shook his head. "It's been a long week."

Choji frowned and looked away, scratching the back of his head nervously. "I can bet. Still...you know she doesn't blame you for what happened to Sasuke. No one does."

"Coulda fooled me."

"Damnit, Shikamaru, it's not about him."

The young Nara looked to his friend in surprise. Choji wasn't one to swear, or to get angry, but he could hear the frustration in the chubby nin's voice. _Please no. Not you too._ "Then tell me what it is, Choji. I don't get it."

"I know you don't. That's your problem, Shikamaru. You think too logically, too cold. You always think about what's the best move for the mission, or the country, and you act on it. That's great for a ninja, man, but it makes for a shitty friend."

"...You don't think I'm a good friend."

"I think you're a great friend. I know you, and I understand you. I get the way you think. You'd never intentionally hurt any of us. All you want to do is protect us. And I know you always think several moves ahead of the rest of us. But that's the problem. You see, we just can't keep up with you. We don't know what you're planning, and you always keep it to yourself. So, I mean, you saved Orochimaru, and we don't understand it. And you've said why, and that makes sense, but it doesn't change things."

"So tell me what the hell I'm supposed to do."

Choji looked up and stared his friend straight in the face. "Tell me your plan. Tell me that we don't have to worry about Orochimaru anymore. Tell me he's not going to break out, that you've found some way to trick him. Tell me we don't have to worry about losing anyone again."

And just then, he finally understood. His friends weren't mad at him because he'd made a choice they didn't agree with. They were mad because they knew he had some master plan and he didn't trust them enough to confide in them. There was just one problem with that theory.

"Choji, I saved Orochimaru to ensure that vital information wasn't lost. That's it. I don't have a plan. I thought I might be able to get him to talk, but... well, I don't quite think that's the case anymore. I can't tell you anything I've learned yet, or you know I would, but it's still all classified."

Choji stared blankly at him. "So, you don't have some master stratedgy hiding up you sleeve?"

"No. I wish I did, but I don't."

"Damnit Shikamaru, that blows."

"Gee, thanks."

The auburn haired boy shook his head and sighed. "Well, I guess we'll just have to deal with it if it happens again, won't we."

Shikamaru frowned. "Yeah, unless someone kills me first."

"It won't get that bad. People are just scared, especially of Orochimaru. You just happen to be a conveniant target."

_Hn. Somehow, that just doesn't make me feel better._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The crack of the whip was loud in his ear, deafening, almost enough to erase the sting of pain against his back. His skin felt like it was on fire, his hot blood oozing from several wounds and dripping steadily to the floor. His perfect white skin was cracking under the pressure, but that didn't mean he would. Orochimaru had been tortured before, several times. He knew what to expect. That didn't make it less agonizing, but it did make it easier to deal with. Locking his jaw shut, he grunted when he heard a whooshing noise, immediately followed by another break in the sound barrier and another jolt of agony. A small groan escaped his lips. He wouldn't scream, but even with as strong as he was, he couldn't remain silent.

The snake sannin braced himself for another hit, but it never came. Instead there was a small rustling sound behind him. He wished he could turn his head to see what was happening, but Ibiki had him tied at such an akward angle it was almost impossible. If he'd had access to his chakra, it would have been no trouble to slither out of his binding and strangle his tormentor. But, with all the seals they had placed on him, he couldn't even muster the chakra to walk up a tree.

His curiousity was solved however, when small grains were rubbed into his wounds, causing the fire to reignite and his pain to double. What came out of his mouth could neither be described as a growl or a hiss, but the sound was terrifying. Ibiki chuckled and poured a little more salt onto his back, knowing that if the man beneathe him ever did escape, he would be sure to kill the inquisitor slowly.

"A little petty, don't you think, Ibiki?" Orochimaru managed between gasps. "I thought you were more creative than that."

"The classics are always the most effective," he answered, moving to kneel in front of his captive. "But I promise you, I have plenty of new ideas to try out on you."

"I know you want information on the Akatsuki. I've already told the fox brat that I want you to continue killing them, so why haven't you bothered to ask me any questions about them yet? All you've asked me about so far are my plans concerning the leaf."

"I know." Ibiki gave a terrifying grin, with much more bravado than he actually felt. "You know, no matter what you say, we know Kabuto will come for you, and since the last anbu was murdered, we've tripled our guard. I plan to have you here for a long time. We'll get information on the Akatsuki soon enough. First, I want to see just what it takes to make you scream."

"Sadist."

Whatever the Jounin might have replied with was lost when the door opened. Ibiki stood and faced the newcomer with curiousity. "I wasn't expecting you. Why are you-"

"Leave us, Morino. I want to talk to this man myself."

"As you wish, my lord."

Without sparing the pale prisoner another glance, Ibiki walked away and out the door, closing it tight behind him. Orochimaru smirked to himself. He would recognize that deep, smokey tone anywhere. A rush of cold water fell across his back, and though he gasped, he was honestly a little grateful that even under these circumstances, the man behind him would still be so considerate of him. A familliar, deerskin coat came into view, and it was no suprise when Shikaku Nara knelt in front of him.

Shikaku held up a glass of the same refreshing liquid. "Drink."

With a little help, the sannin gladly did as he was told. The water eased down his raw throat and soothed him, giving him just a little more energy to face whatever was to come.

Shikaku lowered the glass once it was empty and stared at the man he once called his friend. Considerably worse for wear than the last time they'd met, Orochimaru hadn't changed all that much. He hadn't even seemed to have aged. What forbidden technique was he using to keep himself so young?

"Lord Nara, huh?" the snake rasped and cleared his throat. "I take it you finally got promoted to Jounin Commander. It's about time. You always had the sharpest mind. You're the best strategist this town has ever seen... unless Shikamaru's getting the jump on you."

"He's getting close," the Nara replied. "And since we're on the subject, I want to know exactly what you were thinking when you spoke to him."

"I was thinking a lot of different things. Can you be more specific?"

"Why did you tell him you were there for his birth?"

"Oh, that. Well, I thought I had the right to. You did make me his godfather, if you recall."

The elder Nara frowned. "Yes, I remember. I also remember that at the time, you were a loyal member of Konoha, and a good friend. But those things have changed. What are you planning to do with my son, Orochimaru?"

"Planning? Why, nothing at all. I was just unnerving him a little. Afterall, he is going to be interrogating me. I have to have a little leverage."

"He won't be interrogating you anymore. I've taken him off your case. So whatever you were up to, you can simply forget it. My son is not your toy."

Orochimaru kept his face schooled, but inside he was furious. He hadn't planned on just how cunning Shikaku could be. Of course Shikamaru would try to validate his story, and of course Shikaku's brilliant mind would instantly pick out every dangerous side road this could lead to. Opting to stay had not only led to his torture, but since Kabuto's first visit, it would be that much harder to escape. He didn't want to leave without anything to show for it, but how was he supposed to get the boy if he was kept so neatly away.

"Don't want your precious little boy stained with blood, do you? Well, it's too late for that, Shikaku. He told me about how he hunted Hidan down. He told me how he killed him."

"He was just doing his job."

"He also told me how much he liked it. Shikamaru got a lot of pleasure from his revenge. I don't have to do anything to him. He's already more like me than you want him to be."

"You're lying."

Orochimaru chuckled dryly. "Now why would I lie to you. You're my friend, afterall."

"You don't know the meaning of the word."

"Maybe not, but I know enough to realize when someone's right on the edge and about to tumble over. Your son has a dark heart, Shikaku. One day, you won't be around to keep him away from all those ugly truth you want to hide from him. What do you think he'll do then?"

Shikaku ignored him. There was no point in arguing with Orochimaru. The damn snake enjoyed it too much. Instead he simply stood and walked away. But his heart was heavy. Had Shikamaru actually told the Sannin he'd enjoying taking Hidan's life? Was there something cold and calculating inside his son that he hadn't seen, or was Shikamaru just growing up to be a ninja? Either way, he wasn't sure he liked it.


End file.
